Electrical actuator for staplers



April Filed July 21, 1954 H. O. MOORE ELECTRICAL ACTUATOR FOR STAPLERS a Sheets-Sheet 2 (Fa/ .J W 85 Z wi 1 74-,

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ELECTRICAL ACTUATOR FOR STAPLERS Filed July 21, 1954 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORF HARRY O. M001 2:

BY g i M ATTORNEYS United States Patent ELECTRICAL ACTUATOR FOR STAPLERS Harry 0. Moore, Charlotte, N. C., assignor to Silabert gorploratlon, Charlotte, N. C., a corporation of North aro ma Application July 21, 1954, Serial No. 444,873

8 Claims. (Cl. 1-3) This invention relates to fastener-applying implements, such as stapling machines, for attaching papers and other sheets, for securing the walls of paper board cartons together and for use generally in fastening or stapling together various objects and articles.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved electrically operable stapler actuator which is much more simple to construct, maintain and reload than similar devices currently in use and which, consequently, can be more economically produced than similar devices heretofore employed.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved mounting for a stapler of the usual hand-operated type with novel electrically controlled means for actuating the stapler. The improved mounting means comprises a frame to which the usual type of hand-operated stapler is secured and the movable element of the fastenerapplying implement or stapler is actuated by one end of an arm or lever pivoted intermediate its ends on the frame and extending rearwardly relative to the operating end of the stapler and having its other end connected to the lower end of the plunger of a solenoid, the coil of which is disposed above the free end of the plunger and mounted in a solenoid frame suitably secured to the main frame so that, upon actuation or energization of the coil of the solenoid, the plunger suddenly darts upwardly to impart downward movement to the front end of the arm or lever for actuating the stapler. The weight of the plunger of the solenoid is such that, when the flow of current to the solenoid is interrupted, the solenoid plunger will move downwardly, by gravity, and return the lever to inoperative position.

In the present application, two forms of the invention are shown, the first of which is devised for stapling relatively small particles such as paper bags of merchandise or sheets of paper. The second form is devised for stapling relatively large articles such as cardboard or paperboard boxes and the like. In the first form, the frame is in the form of a housing on the upper wall of which the stationary element of the stapler is secured and the frame of a solenoid is fixed to the lower surface of the top wall of the main frame or housing. The lower wall of the housing has a lever pivotally connected thereto intermediate the ends thereof, one end of which is pivotally connected to the plunger of the solenoid and the other end of which is connected to suitable linkage which serves to connect the said other end of the lever to the movable element of the stapler.

In the second form of the invention, the movable element of the stapler is pivotally connected to a forwardly projecting arm integral with the rear leg of a substantially U-shaped frame whose other leg has a clinching anvil on the upper end thereof forming the stationary part of the stapler. The lever is pivotally connected intermediate its ends on the arm projecting forwardly from the rear leg of the U-shaped frame and one end engages the upper portion of the front end of the movable element of the stapler and the rear end thereof has a suitable linkage connecting the same with the plunger of a solenoid suitably secured to the rear vertical leg of the frame.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of one form of the apparatus;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section view taken "ice substantially along line 22 in Figure l and showing the circuit for the solenoid;

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view, mostly in elzevation, taken substantially along line 3-3 in Figure Figure 4 is a top plan view of another form of the apparatus;

Figure 5 is a front side of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a side elevation looking at the right-hand side of Figure 5 and showing the circuit for the solenoid;

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along line 7 7 in Figure 6.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, one form of the invention is shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 and the other form of the invention is shown in Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7. In the first form of the invention, the numeral 10 broadly designates a suitable housing which may be in the form of a box-like structure including top and bottom walls 11, 12, side walls 13, 14 and front and rear end walls 15, 16.

Suitably secured to the forward portion of the outer surface of the top wall 11 of the frame or housing 10 is the base or stationary element 20 of a conventional stapler broadly designated at 21 of the usual hand-operated type and this stapler 21 is preferably of the type disclosed in the patent to Morris Abrams et al., Number 2,312,142, dated February 23, 1943, and such as is manufactured by Arrow Fastener Company, Brooklyn 6, New York. The specific stapler noted is illustrative only, and it is to be understood that the present invention may be satisfactorily employed with various other types and sizes of staplers, but staplers of the type noted have been found preferable because the supply of staples therein can be easily replenished without removing the arm or movable element 22 thereof from the stationary element 20.

The base 20 of the stapler 21 has a clinching anvil 23 fixed thereon and the arm or movable element 22 is pivotally connected to the base or stationary element, as at 24 and forms a magazine for containing a supply of fasteners or staples. The arm 22 is normally resiliently urged upwardly by a leaf-spring member 25, all of which is clearly shown in said Patent No. 2,312,142.

The improved electrically operated or controlled means for actuating the stapler 21 comprises a solenoid broadly designated at 30 and including a substantially rectangular frame 31 in which a coil 32 is secured. The frame 31 is suitably secured to the inner surface of the top wall 11 of the housing 10 adjacent the rear wall 16 as by screws 34. Mounted for vertical movement in the lower portion 02 the frame 31 and within the coil 32 is a solenoid plunger 3 The plunger 35 is connected by suitable linkage to the stapler 21, said linkage comprising a lever 36 pivotally connected as at 37 to the lower end of the plunger 35. The medial portion of the lever 36 has a downwardly projecting portion 40 thereon which is pivotally mounted as at 41 between a pair of angle clips or brackets 42 serving as mounting means, whose horizontal legs extend laterally relative to the lever 36 and are suitably secured as by screws 43 to the inner surface of the bottom wall 12 of the housing 10.

The forward portion of the lever 36 has an opening or slot 44 therein which is loosely penetrated by a threaded element or screw 45 preferably having a conventional head formed integral with the upper end thereof and an abutment adjacent the lower end thereof which may be in the form of a pair of lock nuts 46 threadably mounted thereon to facilitate adjustment of the effective stroke of the lever 36. The abutment 46 is engaged by the lever 36 during actuation or energization of the coil 32 of the solenoid 30.

The upper end of the link element or screw 45 slidably penetrates an arm 50, the head of the screw 45 serving as an abutment for engaging the upper surface of arm 50 when the screw 45 is moved downwardly with the corresponding end of the lever 36. The arm 50 is fixed to the lower horizontal portion of a U-shaped member or yoke 51, the two vertical legs of which slidably penetrate the top wall 11 of the housing 10 and straddle the base 20 and arm 22 of the stapler 21. The upper ends elevation looking at the left-hand of the legs of the yoke 51 loosely penetrate a cross bar or yoke connecting element 52 which rests against the upper surface of the movable arm 22 of the stapler 21 and is removably connected to the legs of the yoke 51 as by nuts 53 threadably mounted on the upper ends of said legs. 7

The coil 32 of the solenoid 30 has a cable 55 extending therefrom in which a pair of wires or conductors 56, 57 are disposed, corresponding ends of said wires 56, 57 being connected to opposite ends of the coil 32 and the other ends of the wires 56, 57 being connected to a suitable switch 60 which is shown in the form of a footoperated switch in Figure 2. The other side of the switch 60 has a pair of wires 61, 62 leading therefrom and being connected to a suitable plug 64 adapted to be connected to a suitable source of electrical energy, not shown. The wires 61, 62 are preferably housed in a flexible cable 65.

Upon closing the switch 60, the coil 32 of the solenoid 30 is energized to cause sudden upward movement of the plunger 35 and to thereby impart counter-clockwise movement to the lever 36. As the front end of lever 36 moves downwardly, it is apparent that corresponding movement is imparted to the linkage comprised of the screw 45, the arm 50, the yoke 51 and the cross bar 52 to thereby actuate the movable element 22 of the stapler 21.

It is apparent that, upon the switch 60 again being opened, the coil 32 of solenoid 30 is de-energized and the weight of the plunger 35 is such that it will move downwardly, by gravity, to impart upward movement to the front end of the lever 26 and whereupon the leafspring 25 will raise the movable element 22 of the stapler 21 along with the cross bar 52, the yoke 51, the arm 50 and the screw 45, thus providing a simple and efiicient means for operating the stapler 21, which may be much more economically maintained and constructed than similar devices currently in use.

Second form of the invention The second form of means for operating the stapler shown in Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7 is quite similar to the form shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 and is merely shown to illustrate its application to a commercial stapling apparatus of the character frequently used in stapling large articles such as cardboard or paperboard boxes, and the ike.

The second form of stapler actuating device comprises a substantially U-shaped frame 70 having spaced front and read legs 71, 72 projecting upwardly in diverging relation from a base or pedestal 73. Although the legs 71, 72 are illustrated as being of arcuate configuration, it is to be understood that they may extend laterally from the base and thence vertically to form a substantially rectangular frame if desired. Also, stable reinforcing means, not shown, may extend from the base 73 to the outer surface of each leg 71, 72. The front leg 71 is adjustable vertically relative to the rear leg 72 by any suitable means such as a set screw 69. This feature facilitates the entry of various sizes of cartons and other articles into the frame preparatory to the stapling operation.

The upper end of the rear leg 72 has a forwardly pro jecting stapler supporting arm 74 thereon whose front end is bifurcated, as at 75, for the reception of the rear end portion of the movable element or arm 76 of a conventional stapler or fastener-applying implement broadly designated at 77.

The arm or movable element 76 of the stapler 77 is of usual hollow construction and serves as a housing for staples, not shown, which staples may be inserted through the rear end of the arm 76 and are normally urged forwardly by a spring-loaded element 80 in a manner well known in the art.

The arm 76 has a conventional stapler head 81 thereon in which a plunger 82 is mounted for vertical movement, said plunger being provided with a cap 83 and normally being urged upwardly by a compression spring 84. The front leg 71 of the substantially U-shaped frame 70 is provided with a suitable clinching anvil 85 on the upper end thereof. It is apparent that, when the arm 76 of the stapler 77 is moved downwardly against the anvil 85, the cap 83 is then depressed and whereupon the plunger 82 forces the staples outwardly against the anvil 85 for upsetting the ends of the staples in the usual manner.

The improved means for electrically actuating the stapler 77 is similar to that heretofore described and comprises a lever 86 which is shown in the form of an elongated relatively thin flat bar whose front end bears against the upper surface of the cap 83 on the plunger 82, said cap being held against the front portion of the lever 86 as by a tension spring 87, one end of which is connected to the forward portion of the lever 86 and the other end of which is connected to the stapler head 81.

The forward portion of the lever 86, rearwardly of the stapler head 81, has a depending projection 90 thereon which is pivotally connected to the upper ends of a pairof rigid links or arms 91, as by a bolt 93. Said links 91 thus serve as mounting means for lever 86. The rigid links 91 extend downwardly and rearwardly at an angle and are fixed against opposite sides of the forwardly projecting arm 74 on the rear leg 72 as by a bolt 94. The bolt 94 also serves to pivotally support the stapler arm 76 between the arms defined by the bifurcated end 75 of the arm 74 of the U-shaped frame 70.

The lever 86 extends rearwardly beyond the vertical plane of the leg 72 of the U-shaped frame 70 and is loosely penetrated by a threaded shaft or screw 95 whose lower end is suitably secured, or integral with, an inverted U-shaped member or yoke member 96. The threaded shaft 95 has upper and lower spaced lock nuts or abutments 97 and 98 adjustably secured thereon which engage the respective upper and lower surfaces of the rear portion of the lever 86.

It will be observed in Figures 4 and 5 that the two arms of the inverted U-shaped member 96 extend downwardly past opposite sides of the coil 101 of a solenoid broadly designated at 102. The lower ends of the arms or legs of the inverted U-shaped member 96 have opposite ends of a transverse bar 103 suitably secured thereto, which bar 103 is shown in the form of a bolt in Figure 5, This transverse bar or bolt 103 slidably penetrates the lower end of a solenoid plunger 104 which is mounted for vertical movement in the coil 101 and which is also mounted for vertical movement in the lower portion of a substantially rectangular frame 105 which supports the coil 101. The frame 105 is suitably secured to the horizontal leg of an angle bracket 106 whose vertical leg is suitably secured to the rear surface of the rear leg 72 of the U-shaped frame 70.

The flow of current to the coil 101 of the solenoid 102 may be controlled in any desired manner and, in this instance, there will be observed in Figure 6 a cable 110 having wires 111, 112 therein, corresponding ends of wh1ch are connected to opposite ends of the coil 101 and the other ends of which are connected to corresponding sides of a normally open manually operable switch 113 which is shown in the form of a foot-operated switch n Figure 6. The switch 113 also has a cable 114 leadmg therefrom in which wires 116, 117 are disposed, correspondlng ends of the wires 116, 117 being connected to the opposite sides of the switch 113 from that to wh1ch the wires 111, 112 are connected and the other ends of the wires 116, 117 being connected to a suitable plug 120 adapted to be connected to a suitable source of electrical energy, not shown.

It is thus seen that, when the switch 113 is open, the weight of the solenoid plunger 104 is suificient to urge the rear end of the lever 86 downwardly so the parts occupy the positron shown in Figure 6. However, upon closing switch 113, coil 101 of solenoid 102 is energized thereby causing the solenoid plunger 104 to dart upwardly in Figure 6 and to thereby impart downward movement to the forward end of the lever 86, thus causing correspondmg downward movement of the plunger 82 of the stapler 77 relative to the stapler head 81 to complete the stapling operation. Of course, when the switch 113 1s aga1n permltted to open, it is apparent that the parts will return to substantially the position shown in Figure 6.

It 1s thus seen that I have provided improved means for mounting and operating conventional staplers or fastenerapplying implements which is extremely simple to manufacture and maintain and can, consequently, be much more economically produced than similar devices currently m use. To this end, a lever is connected at one end to the lower end of a solenoid plunger and the other end of the lever is connected by linkage to the corresponding fastener-applying implement or stapler in both forms of the invention.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a fastener-applying apparatus having a frame and a stapler fixed on said frame and said stapler having a movable element thereon, the combination of improved means for actuating said movable stapler element comprising a solenoid fixed to said frame rearwardly of the stapler, a solenoid plunger mounted for vertical movement in the solenoid and normally depending therefrom, mounting means on said frame, a lever pivotally mounted on said mounting means, means connecting one end of said lever to the lower end of said plunger, and means operatively connecting the other end of said lever to the movable element of said stapler.

2. An improved electrically operable stapler actuator adapted to receive a stapler having an anvil and a movable element for feeding and pressing staples onto the anvil upon actuation thereof, said improved actuator comprising a frame adapted to support said anvil and said movable stapler element adjacent its forward portion, a solenoid secured to the frame adjacent its rear portion, a plunger mounted for vertical movement in said solenoid and normally depending therefrom, mounting means on said frame, a lever pivotally mounted on said mounting means at a point between the anvil and the plunger of said solenoid, means connecting the rear end of the lever to the plunger of the solenoid and means operatively connecting the front end of the lever to the movable element of the stapler whereby, upon energization of said solenoid, the plunger is caused to dart upwardly therein to cause the rear portion of said pivoted lever to move upwardly and the forward portion thereof to move downwardly to actuate the movable element of the stapler.

3. An improved electrically operable stapler actuator having a frame adapted to receive a stapler adjacent one end thereof said improved actuator comprising a solenoid secured to the frame in spaced relation to said stapler, a solenoid plunger mounted for vertical movement within said solenoid and extending therefrom, mounting means on said frame, a lever pivotally supported intermediate its ends on said mounting means beneath said stapler, one end of said lever being pivotally connected to the free end of said solenoid plunger, an adjustment screw adjustably connected to the end of said lever remote from said solenoid plunger, a substantially U-shaped member connected at its web portion to the end of said screw remote from said lever and having its legs extending past opposite sides of the stapler, a cross bar connected to and spanning the distance between the ends of the legs of said U-shaped member, and said cross bar resting against the upper surface of said stapler, at least during downward movement of the corresponding ends thereof whereby, upon energization of the coil, the plunger will dart upwardly to impart corresponding movement to the lever and to cause the front end of the lever to move downwardly to impart corresponding movement to the threaded shaft or screw, the U-shaped member and the actuating member or movable element of the stapler.

4. An improved electrically operable stapler actuator for accommodating a stapler having an anvil thereon and a normally upwardly biased stapler actuating member; said improved actuator comprising a substantially horizontally disposed frame member, means securing the stapler to the forward portion of said frame member, a U-shaped member having a cross bar connecting the upper ends of the legs thereof and normally resting upon the actuating member of the stapler, the legs of said U- shaped member loosely penetrating the main frame member on opposite sides of the stapler, a threaded member having its upper end fixed to the lower portion of the U-shaped member and extending downwardly therefrom, mounting means on said frame, a lever pivotally supported intermediate its ends on said mounting means and being loosely penetrated at its forward end by the lower portion of said threaded shaft, a threaded abutlit ment adjustably secured on the lower end of said threaded shaft and adapted to be engaged by the forward end of said lever, a solenoid plunger pivotally connected to the rear end of said lever and extending upwardly therefrom, a solenoid coil surrounding the upper portion of said solenoid plunger and adapted to be connected in an electrical circuit, a solenoid coil frame supporting said solenoid coil and being secured to the lower surface of the frame member, and the weight of the solenoid plunger being sufiicient to move the rear end of the lever downwardly to thereby normally maintain the U- shaped member in raised position whereby, upon energization of said coil, the plunger will move upwardly to impart corresponding downward movement to the actuating member of the stapler.

5. An improved electrically operable stapler actuator adapted to receive a stapler, said improved actuator comprising a substantially U-shaped frame forming spaced front and rear upright legs thereon, a forwardly projecting arm integral with the rear leg and terminating short of the front leg, an anvil fixed on the upper end of the front leg and adapted to cooperate with said stapler in a stapling operation, a lever, upwardly projecting means on the forward end of the arm integral with said rear leg for pivotally supporting the medial portion of said lever, spring means normally urging the free front end of said lever toward the upper surface of said stapler, means pivotally supporting said stapler on the forward portion of said forwardly extending arm integral with said rear leg of the U-shaped frame, a solenoid carried by the rear leg of the frame, a plunger extending from said solenoid, a U-shaped member having its legs disposed on opposite sides of said solenoid, means pivotally connecting the legs of said inverted U-shaped member to the solenoid plunger, and means connecting the web of said U-shaped member to the rear portion of said lever whereby the weight of the solenoid plunger normally maintains the front end of the lever in elevated position and normally maintains the arm of the stapler in raised inoperative position and whereby, upon energization of said coil, the solenoid plunger will dart upwardly to impart downward movement to the stapler to cause the arm thereof to engage the anvil and to subsequently depress the plunger of the stapler.

6. An electrically operable stapler actuator for a stapler having a magazine and an operating head for dispensing staples, said actuator comprising a frame adapted to receive the stapler, said frame comprising a base and a pair of upwardly diverging arms extending from said base, a substantially horizontally disposed frame member extending from the upper end of a first of said arms toward the upper end of a second of said arms and terminating short thereof, a stapler having an operating head pivotally connected to the free end of said horizontally disposed frame member, means pivotally supporting the end of said operating head remote from said horizontally disposed frame member in spaced relation above the upper end of said second arm, an anvil fixed to the upper end of the second arm, electrically operable means for actuating said stapler comprising a solenoid and a switch disposed in an electrical circuit, means connecting said solenoid to said first arm, a solenoid plunger extending from said solenoid, a lever, means for a maintaining one end of said lever in engagement with the operating head of said stapler, and means connecting the other end of said lever to said solenoid plunger.

7. A structure according to claim 6 wherein the free end of said substantially horizontally disposed frame member is bifurcated for the pivotal reception of the end of said stapler remote from its operating head.

8. A structure according to claim 7 wherein means are provided for pivotally connecting the medial portion of said lever to the free end of said horizontally disposed frame member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,580,135 Soave Dec. 25, 1951 

